Govt plan to scrap internship for upgrading nurses sparks outrage

The Association of Graduate Nurses and Midwives (AGNMU) in Uganda has asked government to drop the plan of scrapping internships for upgrading nurses and midwives.

AGNMU, in their July 29 letter to the chairperson of the Inter-ministerial Standing Coordination Committee of the Education and Health Ministries, said they are concerned by the committee’s “proposal to abolish the internship programme for graduate nurses and midwives in Uganda.”

“It is our considered position that this proposal has been rushed with inadequate stakeholder engagement that included nurses and midwives,” the letter reads in part.

“As a long-time champion of nurses and midwives in Uganda and leader, we appeal to you to consider our reiterated position as further clarified in the attached position paper,” it reads further.

 However, the government said the plan is to scrap internships for those who are upgrading because they already have experience, a position which AGNMU challenged.

Dr Diana Atwine, the Health Ministry permanent secretary, in a telephone interview with the Monitor yesterday, said those joining the profession as direct entrants from A-Level will continue to be subjected to internship as mandated.

“The graduate nurses that will not be required to do internship are those who upgrade to add a qualification but with a history of practice. But direct entrants to the university as their first qualification for nursing, those ones will definitely still need internship because they need to practice,” she said.

“The purpose of the internship is not just a qualification per se, the assumption is that these are the people who were in practice, they don’t need again to go back to do the thing they used to do, so, even when they add the qualification of degree it does not erode their capacity to practice,” she added

The government is paying medical interns around Shs1 million per month for the 12-month internship before they can get a permanent practising licence. The government has failed to provide enough money for internships, causing delayed deployments and related strikes. Scrapping the internship may mean they will get the licence without undergoing the placement.

Dr Alex Tumusiime, the AGNMU president, said scrapping the internship for upgrading nurses and midwives is unacceptable. He emphasised that this would undermine the purpose of training, leading to a situation where individuals merely acquire credentials without actually gaining new or improved skills.

“The assumption that whoever upgrades into practice is okay with what he/ she is doing is wrong. What pushes you to upgrade means there are a lot of gaps either in your knowledge and practice,” Dr Tumusiime said.

He added: “One might be having a certain level of expertise in doing wrong. One might be a diploma holder and what he/she has been doing may not be the best you would expect from a nurse.”

When contacted about the proposals, the Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, said engagements were still ongoing.

“We are not abolishing yet because if anything like that is to happen, it has to be discussed at the Cabinet level, it has not been discussed yet. These are proposals that come from different stakeholders but it cannot be a government policy until cabinet has addressed itself it is which has not happened,” he said.

Dr Atwiine said once all preparations are complete, the Ministry of Education would inform all teaching institutions.

“We need to document and communicate to all teaching institutions, say, direct entrants as part of training, they will continue to do internships. And if you have had previous practice and you are upgrading your qualification you do not need an internship,” she added

She implored the Association leaders not to disagree with the proposals since what is being done is in their interest and that they were part of the decision-making and that no other consultations will be made.

Message

“The internship programme for graduate nurses and midwives ensures that the new graduates are competent, confident, and capable of delivering safe and effective patient care,” Association of Graduate Nurses and Midwives

Additional reporting by Tonny Abet